Written by Martin Montejano
So many anglers have found joy in fishing with a tenkara rod, and many have adopted it as their preferred method of fishing. So what is tenkara, and where does the style of fishing really shine? In this article, we take a little dive into the style, and where it fits in with modern anglers. I hope you enjoy!
What is Tenkara?
Tenkara is a form of fixed-line fishing that originated in Japan. Historically, it was used by the commercial anglers, known as “shokuryoshi,” who traversed the mountains catching trout and char to make their living. These anglers would sometimes use bait, and other times preferred “kebari” (which translates to hair-hook), or what we know as “flies.”
Originally, the the style of fishing with the a long bamboo rod and fly, was commonly referred to in Japan as “kebari-tsuri,” which translates closely to “fly fishing.”
I can’t quite find exactly when the term “Tenkara” came about, and I’ve heard many stories of the origin. The one I personally find the most fascinating suggests that the term came from a misheard phrase or translation. As it goes, a westerner was visiting Japan and was very interested in the style. When he asked the angler what the style of fishing was called the response to the translator was “fishing.” Wanting to know more, he persisted, to which the angler replied “Ten Colors.” This is a phrase used to suggest that there are many ways people do things, but with a thick Japanese accent, the phrase was misheard and “Tenkara” became the term that was, and is still used today.
Much like how it is in the states, tenkara seems to be a “niche” style of fishing in Japan as well. The style decreased in popularity as fish farming became practiced in Japan, and the shokuryoshi were no longer able to make a living selling fish. Of course, there were still anglers who practiced the style, and thanks to people like Yamamoto Soseki and Yuzo Sebata, we’re able to enjoy it today as recreational anglers. As far as keeping the style alive in modern times, you may find the names of Dr. Hisao Ishigaki, and Masami Sakakibara (possibly better known as “Tenkara no Oni”) mentioned in posts and discussions revolving around tenkara. As it’s always been, there needs to be those who practice and teach to keep the sport alive.
In 2009, Daniel Gallhardo started TenkaraUSA, and inspired many anglers here in the US to engage in what seemed to be a fairly new concept for anglers here. While cane-pole fishing is often what people mention when tenkara enters a conversation, these rods that TenkaraUSA had available started a wave of interest that continues to grow to this day. More and more people are becoming drawn to the traditional style of fly fishing from Japan - from backpackers, to those looking to simplify their fishing. With the growth in popularity, comes a growing market. Every year it seems there are a few more companies starting up to sell tenkara rods, and sometimes we even see established companies trying to capitalize on the trend. With that, every year we get more rods available for purchase.
Where does it shine?
Now that I’ve gone on with a much more detailed explanation of tenkara, and an unplanned summary of its history, we come back to the other point I set out to address in this article. Where does tenkara shine?
As I mentioned earlier in this post, this style of fishing was developed by anglers who fished high-gradient, mountain streams. These tributaries vary in size and width, but are often riddled with complex currents and eddies. One of the challenges these characteristics present to an angler is being able to manage your line. Leaving the line on the water allows it to be pulled in any direction the currents flow, and ultimately leads to the fly being pulled with it, resulting in an unnatural movement of the fly.
A long rod helps to solve that problem by suspending the majority of the line off the water, allowing for a more natural presentation of the fly, as well as the ability to place the fly into specific areas within those complex currents. With that being said, I think it’s safe to say that where tenkara really shines, is in the same settings that the anglers of Japan used it in.
According to many, these are the defining parameters of true “tenkara,” but outside of what constitutes what tenkara fishing really is, the rod and tackle offer a simplified approach to fishing - regardless of where you apply it.
Moving into what people would consider “fixed-line” fishing, plenty of anglers find enjoyment using a tenkara rod to fish their local ponds, or high alpine lakes. There are times where I take a drive to go catch bluegill for a little bit before work. The extreme portability of a tenkara rod, and the minimal tackle needed appeals to a wide group of people.
One of the questions we see and hear a lot is “can you catch big fish on it?” The simple answer is yes. Back to a little bit of history, the shokuryoshi of Japan often fished in the mountains. Due to the characteristics of those streams, and the environment, the trout and char they fished for weren’t often what many of us would consider “big” fish. Likewise, as both Amanda and I practice our tenkara in similar settings (high-gradient mountain streams), most of the fish we catch are under 10” in length. That’s not to say that you can’t catch big fish on a tenkara rod, as there are plenty of people who are constantly pushing the limits and trying to catch larger species using a fixed-line system.
There are a few things I wanted to stress as I wrap up this article. The first being that fishing should be fun. Regardless of what is considered true “tenkara,” what we think is more important is that you’re getting out in nature and enjoying your time fishing - as long as you’re being respectful of nature and others.
The other point I wanted to address is that the ideas that you’ll see shared in future articles are based on what we (Amanda and I) believe are the advantages that fishing with a tenkara rod brings in those mountain streams. With that being said, one of our goals with the project is to share different perspectives from other anglers in articles that focus on other topics, as well as different approaches and styles of fishing.
So get out there, have fun, and enjoy fishing how you like to practice it!
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